Author: Jesse Sudirgo

While reading the Sermon on the Mount last night, the all too familiar passage began to speak to me in a new way. "Love your enemies" Jesus says. I heard it a thousand times, yet I never realized how far I was from grasping the gravity of such a statement. "If you love those who … Continue reading Who is Your Enemy?

You would think that "dying to yourself" is a pretty straight forward concept in the scriptures. Surrender your life to the Lord and follow his will right? What more can you say than that? To add anything to this equation would give off the impression that one is trying to tone down the intensity of … Continue reading Dead but Still Original

I'm a pretty bad swimmer. While doing laps with Jules in our gym's pool, a large Russian man floating around the deep end, literally and seriously asked me if I ever took swimming lessons before. When I smiled and told him that I stopped taking lessons as a kid, he said in his broken English, "I didn't think so. You're very bad." As … Continue reading Identity, Opinions, and a Russian Critic

According to Dallas Willard, the "Great Omission" of the Great Commission is discipleship. As much as I hear this message, I can't help but be challenged by it. Amidst all the distractions we face in the ministry, it's so easy for discipleship to get lost in the shuffle. In this video, we see a … Continue reading The Great Omission of the Great Commission

If I were to assess myself, I'd say that there's nothing I really excel at. When it comes to things like sports, music and ministry, I'm the ultimate generalist. I'm what they call the "jack of all trades and master of none." And as a result, I have been forced to be creative in the … Continue reading Feeling Ordinary?

I'm sure we can all agree that there are very few people out there who listen well. In my personal struggle to tame the tongue, I find myself envying those who know how to sincerely pay attention. They're the kind of people who look you in the eye during a conversation. The kind who will … Continue reading Thanks for Listening

The beauty behind simple and organic churches is the belief that every Christian is called to participate in the life and mission of the church. It revolves around the notion that the laity encompasses a greater capacity to minister than we give them credit for. With that conviction in mind, we implement strategies that allocate more … Continue reading How Simple Churches deal with Complex Issues

In this video, Francis Chan clearly articulates the attitude we need to have in approaching scripture and our communication of its truths. He addresses the arrogance we have amidst our many theological debates and the necessity to come humbly before one another in light of our limitations as God's creation. What is unique about … Continue reading Humble but Certain

Anyone who knew me during my high school years knows about my "go with the flow" and "organic" ways. I was all about being flexible enough to bend and move at the unction of the Spirit's leading. I'd consider the institutional and structural modes of the faith to ring with a tone of legalism. A … Continue reading Sailing Without the Wind

In deciding upon which cause to support in this world, I frankly get overwhelmed. The process of choosing is a daunting task. I heard this guy named Barry Schwartz give the name "The Paradox of Choice" to an issue similar to the dilemma I'm talking about. He frames his argument by claiming that freedom is … Continue reading The Paradox of Choice